When tools are used in a manufacturing or service environment, it is important that tools be returned to a storage unit, such as a tool box, after use. Employers typically perform a manual inventory check of the tool box to minimize or eliminate the problem of misplacement or theft of expensive tools. Companies can conduct random audits of employee's toolbox to prevent theft and monitor tool location.
Some industries have high standards for inventory control of tools, for preventing incidents of leaving tools in the workplace environment where they could cause severe damages. For the aerospace industry, it is important to ensure that no tools are accidentally left behind in an aircraft or missile being manufactured, assembled or repaired. The Aerospace Industries Association even establishes a standard called National Aerospace Standard including recommended procedures, personnel management and operations to reduce foreign object damage (FOD) to aerospace products. FOD is defined as any object not structurally part of the aircraft. The most common foreign objects found are nuts, bolts, safety wire, and hand tools. Inventory control over tools is critical to prevent tools from being left in an aircraft.
Some toolboxes try to build in inventory determination features to track inventory conditions of tools stored in those toolboxes. For example, some toolboxes dispose contact sensors, magnetic sensors or infrared sensors in or next to each tool storage locations, to detect whether a tool is placed in each tool storage location. Based on signals generated by the sensors, the toolboxes are able to determine whether any tools are missing. While this type of inventory check may be useful to some extents, it suffers from various drawbacks. For instance, if a sensor detects that something is occupying a storage location, the toolbox will determine that no tool is missing from that storage location. However, the toolbox does not know whether the right kind of tool is indeed placed back in the toolbox or it is just some objects placed in the storage location to cheat the system. Furthermore, disposing sensors for numerous storage locations in a toolbox is tedious and costly, and the large number of sensors is prone to damages or malfunctions which will produce false negative or positive alarms.
Accordingly, there is a need for an effective inventory control system that that could assist tracking and accounting for usage of tools and whether they are properly put back after usage. There is also a need for an inventory control system which knows exactly what tool is removed or returned to a tool box. Furthermore, as multiple workers may have access to the same tool box, there is another need for an inventory control system that can track a user and his or her usage of tools, to determine responsibilities for any tool loss or misplacement.
This disclosure describes various embodiments of highly automated inventory control systems that utilize uniquely timed machine vision and methodology to capture images of a storage unit for identifying an inventory condition in the storage unit. Illustrative features may include the ability to control access to the storage unit, determine if objects are in the storage unit or not, determine whether particular tools are in or missing from the storage unit, record images of storage locations and/or their contents, save and retrieve images for audit purposes, associate the images with a person who accessed the storage unit, and other features which will be described herein in detail.
According to one embodiment, an inventory control system for monitoring the removal and replacement of objects, comprises at least one storage drawer, each storage drawer including at least one storage location for storing objects, and configured to move in a first direction allowing increasing access to storage locations of the drawer, and a second direction allowing decreasing access to storage locations of the drawer. An image sensing device is provided to form at least one first image of the storage locations when a respective storage drawer moves in the second direction or after the respective storage drawer stops moving in the second direction. The system includes a data processor configured to receive information representing images of the storage locations generated by the image sensing device, and determine an inventory condition of the objects stored in the respective storage drawer according to the at least one first image.
In one embodiment, the image sensing device is configured to form at least one second image of the storage locations when the respective storage drawer moves in the first direction, before the respective storage drawer moves in the first direction, or after the respective storage drawer stops moving in the first direction. The data processor is configured to determine a change of the inventory condition of the objects stored in the respective storage drawer according to a difference of the at least one first image and the at least one second image.
In one embodiment, an exemplary inventory control system includes multiple storage drawers. Except for a bottom storage drawer, each of the multiple storage drawers is disposed on top of another storage drawer. The image sensing device is disposed at a location sufficient to form an image of at least a portion of the storage locations of the respective storage drawer. The image sensing device may include a camera disposed above the moving path of each respective storage drawer. The image sensing device may have a viewing field over a moving path of each respective storage drawer, and the image sensing device may be disposed at a location sufficient to form an image of at least a portion of the respective storage drawer when the portion of the storage drawer moves past the sensing field. In one embodiment, the image sensing device is configured to capture multiple partial images of the respective storage drawer at different points in time when the storage drawer passes the viewing field. The data processor is configured to form a combined image of the storage drawer by combining the multiple partial images of the storage drawer captured at different points in time, and determines an inventory condition of the storage drawer based on the combined image. The system may further comprises a position detector configured to detect a position of each respective storage drawer when the storage drawer moves. The data processor forms a combined image of the storage drawer according to the multiple partial images and information of positions of the storage drawer detected by the position detector.
In still another embodiment, the image sensing device includes a camera and a light redirecting device. The light redirecting device is configured to direct light reflected from each respective storage drawer to the camera. The camera is disposed at a location remote from the light redirecting device. The light redirecting device may include one or more mirrors, a prism or one or more fiber optic devices. The light redirecting device may be disposed at a location above a moving path of each respective storage drawer when the storage drawer moves.
According to one embodiment, the image capturing device is configured to form an image of the respective storage drawer after detecting the storage drawer stops from moving in the second direction. In one aspect, in forming the at least one first image, the image capturing device forms an image of storage locations of the storage drawer that are not accessible by a user after detecting the storage drawer stops moving in the second direction.
In one embodiment, the at least one first image is taken when the storage drawer is moving. In another embodiment, the data processor is configured to associate the determined inventory condition with time information indicating the time when the at least one first image was taken. In still another embodiment, when a user is authenticated to access to a respective storage drawer, the image sensing device is configured to capture at least one second image of the storage locations of the respective storage drawer before the respective storage drawer moves in the first direction; and the data processor is configured to determine a change in the inventory condition of the objects stored in the respective storage drawer according to a difference between the at least one first image and the at least one second image.
In yet another embodiment, the image sensing device includes multiple cameras. Each camera is configured to capture a partial image of the storage drawer. The data processor is configured to form a combined image of the storage drawer according to the partial image of the storage drawer captured by each respective camera. In still another embodiment, the system further comprises an input device configured to receive information submitted by a user accessing the system, and the data processor is configured to authenticate the user based on the received information, and selectively grant or deny access to the user access to the system according to a result of the authenticating. In one aspect, for each authenticated user who is granted access to the system, the data processor is configured to associate information related to the user to an inventory condition associated with the granted access.
According to another embodiment, each storage location is configured to store a pre-designated object, and the system has access to prestored information identifying a relationship between each storage location and the corresponding pre-designated object. In one aspect, the data processor has access to a baseline image of the storage locations having each storage location occupied by the corresponding pre-designated object; and the data process is configured to determine the inventory condition according to a difference between an image of the storage locations and the baseline image. In another aspect, the data storage device stores a baseline image of the storage locations having each storage location unoccupied by the corresponding pre-designated object; and the data process is configured to determine the inventory condition according to a difference between a captured image of the storage locations and the baseline image.
According to still another embodiment, each respective storage location is associated with an identifier. Depending on whether the storage location is being occupied by an object, the associated identifier appears in an image captured by the image sensing device in one of two different manners. The data processor is configured to determine the inventory condition of objects by evaluating how each identifier appears in the image captured by the image sending device. In one aspect, the identifier is not viewable by the image sensing device when an object is stored in the respective storage location, and is viewable by the image sensing device when an object is not stored in the respective storage location. In another aspect, the identifier is viewable by the image sensing device when an object is stored in the respective storage location, and is not viewable by the image sensing device when an object is not stored in the respective storage location. In still another aspect, each storage location is configured to store a pre-designated object. The data processor has access to information identifying a known relationship between each pre-designated object and each corresponding storage location configured to store the pre-designated object. The data processor is configured to determine an inventory condition of objects by evaluating how each identifier appears in the image captured by the image sensing device, and the relationship between each pre-designated object and each respective storage location. In a further aspect, the identifier is unique to a corresponding object stored in the storage location. The data processor has access to information identifying each object stored in the system and information identifying a relationship between each identifier and each corresponding object. The data processor is configured to determine an inventory condition of the objects by evaluating how each identifier appears in the image captured by the image sensing device, the relationship identifying each object stored in the system, and the information identifying the relationship between each identifier and each corresponding object.
According to still another embodiment, each object includes an attached identifier unique to each object. The data processor has access to prestored information identifying each object stored in the system and information identifying a relationship between each pre-designated object and a respective identifier unique to each pre-designated object. The data processor is configured to determine an inventory condition of objects by evaluating the existence of at least one identifier in an image of the storage locations captured by the image sensing device, and the relationship between each pre-designated object and a respective identifier unique to each pre-designated object.
According to yet another embodiment, the data processor has access to information identifying all objects stored in the storage unit and image characteristics unique to each object. The data processor is configured to determine which objects are missing or which objects are in the system based on the captured image and the image characteristics unique to each object.
According to another embodiment, an exemplary inventory control system for monitoring the removal and replacement of objects, includes at least one storage drawer, each storage drawer includes at least one storage location for storing objects, and each storage drawer is configured to move between a first position, which allows no access to any storage locations in the storage drawer, and a second position, which allows access to at least one storage location in the storage drawer; an image sensing device configured to form images of the storage drawers, wherein when or after a respective storage drawer moves from the second position to the first position, the image sensing device is configured to form at least one image of the storage locations of the respective storage drawer; and a data processor configured to determine an inventory condition of the respective storage drawer according to the at least one image of the storage locations formed after the respective storage drawer moves from the second position to the first position. In one aspect, the image sensing device includes a scan device configured to project a scan light moving over the storage drawer and a camera configured to receive the reflected scan light for forming images of the storage drawer.
According to another embodiment, an inventory control system for monitoring the removal and replacement of objects, includes a storage unit including at least one storage location for storing objects; a detection device configured to detect a termination of each access to the storage unit; an image sensing device is timed to capture at least one first image of the storage locations after the detected termination of access to the storage unit; a data processor configured to receive information representing the at least one first image of the storage locations, and determine an inventory condition of the objects stored in the storage unit according to the at least one first image, associate the determined inventory condition with the terminated access. In one aspect, the image capturing device is timed to capture at least one second image of the storage locations after receipt of an access request for the access. The data processor is configured to determine a change in the inventory condition of the objects according to a difference between the at least one first image and the at least one second image.
According to another embodiment, an inventory control system for monitoring the removal and replacement of objects, comprises at least one storage drawer, each storage drawer includes at least one storage location for storing objects, and each storage drawer is configured to move between a first position, which allows no access to any storage locations in the storage drawer, and a second position, which allows access to at least one storage location in the storage drawer; and a image sensing device configured to form images of the storage drawers, wherein when or after a respective storage drawer moves from the second position to the first position, the image sensing device is configured to form at least one image of the storage locations of the respective storage drawer; and a data processor configured to determine an inventory condition of the respective storage drawer according to the at least one image of the storage locations formed after the respective storage drawer moves from the second position to the first position.
In one aspect, the image sensing device includes a scan device configured to project a scan light moving over the storage drawer and a camera configured to receive the reflected scan light for forming images of the storage drawer.
Anther embodiment of this disclosure provides an inventory control system for monitoring the removal and replacement of objects, comprising a storage unit including at least one storage location for storing objects, a detection device configured to detect a termination of each access to the storage unit, an image sensing device timed to capture at least one first image of the storage locations after the detected termination of access to the storage unit; and a data processor configured to receive information representing the at least one first image of the storage locations, and determine an inventory condition of the objects stored in the storage unit according to the at least one first image. In one aspect, the image capturing device is timed to capture at least one second image of the storage locations after receipt of an access request for the terminated access; and the data processor is configured to determine a change in the inventory condition of the objects according to a difference between the at least one first image and the at least one second image. In another aspect, the system further includes a lock device configured to selectively grant or prohibit access to the storage unit. The data processor is configured to collect information submitted by a user requesting access to the storage unit, authenticate the user based on the collected information, and selectively control the lock device to grant the user access to the storage unit according to a result of the authenticating. For each authenticated user who is granted access to the storage unit, the data processor is configured to associate information related to the authenticated user to an inventory condition associated with the granted access.
According to anther aspect, each storage location is configured to store a pre-designated object; and the data storage device stores information identifying a relationship between each storage location and the corresponding pre-designated object. The data storage device may store a baseline image of the storage locations having each storage location occupied by the corresponding pre-designated object. The data process is configured to determine the inventory condition associated to each access to the storage unit according to a difference between the captured image of the storage locations and the baseline image. In another aspect, the data storage device stores a baseline image of the storage locations having each storage location unoccupied by the corresponding pre-designated object; and the data process is configured to determine the inventory condition associated to each access to the storage unit according to a difference between the captured image of the storage locations and the baseline image.
In another embodiment, each respective storage location is associated with an identifier. Depending on whether the storage location is being occupied by an object, the associated identifier appears in an image captured by the image sensing device in one of two different manners. The data processor configured to determine the inventory condition of objects by evaluating how each identifier appears in the image captured by the image sending device. According to one aspect, the identifier is not viewable by the image sensing device when an object is stored in the respective storage location, and is viewable by the image sensing device when an object is not stored in the respective storage location; or the identifier is viewable by the image sensing device when an object is stored in the respective storage location, and is not viewable by the image sensing device when an object is not stored in the respective storage location.
According to another aspect, each storage location is configured to store a pre-designated object. The data processor has access to information identifying a known relationship between each pre-designated object and each corresponding storage location configured to store the pre-designated object, and the data processor is configured to determine an inventory condition of objects by evaluating how each identifier appears in the image captured by the image sensing device, and the relationship between each pre-designated object and each respective storage location.
According to another aspect, the identifier is unique to a corresponding object stored in the storage location; the data processor has access to information identifying each object stored in the system and information identifying a relationship between each object and a respective identifier unique to each object; and the data processor is configured to determine an inventory condition of the objects by evaluating how each identifier appears in the image captured by the image sensing device, the information identifying each object, and the information identifying the relationship between each object and a respective identifier unique to each object.
According to still another aspect, each object includes an attached identifier unique to each object; the data processor has access to prestored information identifying each object stored in the system and information identifying a relationship between each pre-designated object and a respective identifier unique to each pre-designated object; and the data processor is configured to determine an inventory condition of objects by evaluating the existence of at least one identifier in an image of the storage locations captured by the image sensing device, and the relationship between each pre-designated object and a respective identifier unique to each pre-designated object.
According a further aspect, the data processor has access to information identifying all objects stored in the storage unit and image characteristics unique to each object; the data processor is configured to determine the inventory condition of the objects based on the captured image and the image characteristics unique to each object.
According still another embodiment, each object includes an attached identifier unique to each object; the data storage device stores information identifying each object stored in the system and information identifying a relationship between each pre-designated object and a respective identifier unique to each pre-designated object; and the data processor is configured to determine the inventory condition of objects by evaluating the existence of each identifier, the information identifying each object, and the relationship between each pre-designated object and a respective identifier unique to each pre-designated object.
In another aspect, each storage location is configured to store a pre-designated object; each respective storage location includes an identifier unique to the pre-designated object stored in each respective storage location; the data storage device stores information identifying a relationship between each pre-designated object and a respective identifier unique to each pre-designated object; and the data processor is configured to determine whether any of the objects is missing from the storage locations according to the at least one image of the storage locations captured after the detected access to the storage unit, and the relationship between each pre-designated object and a respective identifier unique to each pre-designated object.
According to a further aspect, the storage unit is configured to operate in a first mode allowing complete access to all storage locations, and a second mode prohibiting access to any storage location; the image sensing device is configured to capture a before-access image when the storage unit operates in the first mode, and an after-access image, subsequent to the first image, when the storage unit operates in the second mode; and the data processor is configured to determine a change in an inventory condition of objects based on the before-access image and the after-access image.
According to another embodiment, an exemplary system further includes a communication device configured to form communication with data processing system remote to the inventory control system, to transmit inventory information of the objects to the data processing system. The data processor may trigger an audio or visual warning signal when the determined inventory condition indicates that at least one object is missing.
According to a further embodiment, a machine-readable medium carrying instructions which, upon execution by a data processing system, control the data processing system to perform steps for managing a networked inventory control system including at least one master storage system associated with multiple slave storage systems. The steps includes determining an authorization level of a user; responsive to the determined authorization level indicating that the user is authorized to access the master storage system, automatically granting the user access to all the multiple slave storage systems associated with the mater storage system; and responsive to the determined authorization level indicating that the user is authorized to access one of the slave storage systems but not the master storage system, granting the user access to the authorized slave storage system, but not the master storage system.
According to another embodiment, a networked inventory control system comprises multiple storage systems. Each respective storage system includes an image sensing device configured to capture at least one image of objects stored in the storage system, and a data storage device configured to store the image captured by the image sensing device and user information with respect to a user accessing the storage system. A data processing system is coupled to the multiple storage systems via a data transmission network. The respective storage system is configured to transmit stored image and user information to the data processing system for each access to the respective storage system. In one aspect, each storage system further includes a data processor configured to determine an inventory condition of the objects stored in the storage system according to the image captured by the image sensing device, and transmit information related to the inventory condition to the data processing system. One of the storage systems may include multiple storage drawers and access to each storage drawer is granted independently.
According a further embodiment, a network-enabled inventory control system comprises a storage unit for storing objects, a data input device configured to receive user information from a respective user requesting access to the inventory control system, an image sensing device configured to capture at least one image of the storage locations corresponding to each access to the inventory control system by the respective user, a data storage device configured to store the user information and the image captured by the image sensing device, a communication device configured to form data communication with a remote data processing system; and a data processor configured to control transmission of data representing the image, the user information and the corresponding access to the remote data processing system via the communication device. In one aspect, the storage unit includes multiple storage drawers; and each storage drawer includes an access control device configured to selectively grant or deny access to the storage drawer. The storage unit may include at least one storage drawer. Each storage drawer includes at least one storage location for storing objects, and is configured to move in a first direction allowing increasing access to storage locations of the drawer, and a second direction allowing decreasing access to storage locations of the drawer. An image sensing device is provided to form at least one first image of the storage locations when a respective storage drawer moves in the second direction or when the respective storage drawer stops moving in the second direction. The data processor receives information representing images of the storage locations generated by the image sensing device, and determines an inventory condition of the objects stored in the respective storage drawer according to the at least one first image.
In one aspect, the exemplary system further includes an access control system configured to selectively granting or denying access to the storage unit. The communication device receives authorization data from the data processing system. The data processor is configured to authenticate a user requesting access to the storage unit by determining a user authorization according to user information input by the user via the data input device and the authorization data, and selectively control the access control device to grant access to the storage unit according to the determined user authorization.
The exemplary data processing systems as described herein may be implemented using one or more computer systems and/or appropriate software.
It is understood that embodiments, steps and/or features described herein can be performed, utilized, implemented and/or practiced either individually or in combination with one or more other steps, embodiments and/or features.
Additional advantages and novel features of the present disclosure will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned by practice of the present disclosure. The embodiments shown and described provide an illustration of the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present disclosure. The disclosure is capable of modifications in various obvious respects, all without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive. The advantages of the present disclosure may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.